The False Equivalence: Why "Both Sides Are Just as Bad" Is a Dangerous Lie
Every time political discussions come up, especially about the rise of extremism, there’s always someone who shrugs and says, “both sides are just as bad.” It’s a phrase that sounds reasonable, like a neutral stance, but in reality, it’s one of the most harmful and intellectually dishonest arguments in modern politics.
This false equivalence doesn’t just distort reality—it actively benefits the side that thrives on oppression, violence, and regression. The idea that both major political parties are equally flawed allows those who push for authoritarianism, racism, and corporate control to continue their work unchallenged, while the public remains too disillusioned to resist.
The truth is simple: one side is fighting for control, exclusion, and suppression—while the other is fighting for expansion of rights, humanitarian protections, and justice. Pretending they are the same is not neutrality—it’s complicity.
The Reality: What Each Side Stands For
One side actively fights to strip people of rights.
They push for laws that control bodies—abortion bans, anti-trans legislation, forced pregnancies.
They write policies that encourage cruelty—cutting social programs, criminalizing homelessness, stripping healthcare access.
They normalize bigotry as policy—banning books that tell diverse stories, demonizing immigrants, attacking LGBTQ+ rights.
They use fear as a weapon—manufacturing moral panics about “groomers,” critical race theory, and “the invasion” at the border.
They legislate inequality—voter suppression, cutting education, deregulating industries that harm workers.
This isn’t a matter of “policy disagreements.” These are active, deliberate moves to restrict freedoms and funnel power into the hands of the few.
The other side—while deeply flawed—fights to expand protections.
They push for reproductive rights, gender-affirming care, and bodily autonomy.
They advocate for stronger social safety nets—better wages, healthcare access, labor protections.
They work to combat systemic racism, fight for voting rights, and increase access to education.
They promote inclusion, representation, and protections for marginalized groups.
This side is not perfect. It is often weak, corporate-influenced, and slow-moving. But the difference is stark: one side seeks progress, while the other seeks regression.
"Both Sides Are Bad" Is a Manufactured Lie
The idea that "both sides are the same" did not appear organically—it was deliberately cultivated. The people who benefit most from this belief are the ones who stand to lose power if people actually fight back.
It creates disengagement. If people believe both sides are equally corrupt, they check out of the process entirely. Apathy benefits the powerful.
It allows extremism to flourish. If violent, authoritarian policies are treated as “just another viewpoint,” they gain legitimacy.
It prevents accountability. By making everything seem like “just politics,” the worst offenders never face real consequences.
It destroys solidarity. When people stop believing in collective action, organizing, or civic engagement, the system remains rigged in favor of those in power.
This is not an accident. The wealthiest and most powerful interests in the country want you to believe that fighting back is pointless. They want you to see democracy as a joke, activism as naive, and voting as a waste of time
"What About the Corruption on the Left?"
There is no doubt that corporate influence exists on both sides. The Democratic Party is often weak, controlled by donors, and slow to act. They have failed to protect voting rights, pass meaningful climate policy, and take real action against economic exploitation.
But this does not make them the same as the far right.
One side allows corporate influence. The other side weaponizes it to oppress.
One side fails to act on injustice. The other side actively legislates it.
One side plays within democracy. The other is working to dismantle it entirely.
Yes, there is corruption, stagnation, and failure within liberal politics. But equating that to an active, deliberate movement toward authoritarian control is an intentional distortion.
Why This False Equivalence is So Dangerous
The phrase "both sides are just as bad" has been used to:
Dismiss the rise of fascism. It was said in Nazi Germany. It was said in 1930s Italy. It is said today.
Ignore human rights violations. If all politicians are bad, then why bother fighting back against anti-LGBTQ+ laws, voter suppression, or book bans?
Make people feel powerless. The more disillusioned people become, the less likely they are to organize, vote, or resist.
History shows that when oppression rises, neutrality is not an option. Pretending that the fight against fascism is “just another policy debate” allows it to grow unchecked.
Final Thoughts: There Is No "Both Sides" When One Side Wants to Erase the Other
If one side believes you don’t deserve basic human rights, and the other side is fighting to protect those rights, they are not the same.
If one side wants to ban you from public life, they are not “just another political opinion.”
If one side wants to criminalize your identity, it is not a simple disagreement.
If one side wants to silence, oppress, or erase entire groups of people, you are not obligated to treat them as legitimate.
Saying "both sides are bad" is an act of denial in the face of clear, obvious oppression. It is a refusal to recognize what is happening, a comfortable way to avoid responsibility.
The truth is, you do not have to agree with everything a political movement stands for to recognize when it is the only thing standing between you and destruction.
"Both sides are bad" is a lie that only serves those in power. And repeating it, believing it, and acting on it only ensures that the worst side wins.
Source List
Pew Research Center – The Growing Political Divide and the Rise of Extremism
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/06/15/the-growing-political-divide-and-the-rise-of-extremismBrookings Institution – How Authoritarian Movements Use False Equivalence to Gain Power
https://www.brookings.edu/research/how-authoritarian-movements-use-false-equivalenceHarvard Kennedy School – The Role of Misinformation in Creating Political Apathy
https://www.hks.harvard.edu/research/the-role-of-misinformation-in-creating-political-apathyThe Atlantic – The Myth That Both Parties Are the Same and Why It’s Dangerous
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/01/myth-of-both-sides-being-the-sameThe Guardian – Why Neutrality in the Face of Oppression is a Political Choice
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/20/why-neutrality-is-a-political-choiceForeign Affairs – The Right-Wing Assault on Democracy and How False Equivalence Shields It
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/false-equivalence-and-the-rise-of-authoritarianismRolling Stone – The “Both Sides” Lie and How It Enables Fascism
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/both-sides-lie-fascismVox – The Political Weaponization of False Equivalence
https://www.vox.com/politics/2025/01/12/false-equivalence-political-weaponThe Intercept – Why the "Both Sides" Narrative Exists and Who It Benefits
https://theintercept.com/2025/01/14/both-sides-narrative-who-benefitsColumbia Journalism Review – The Role of Media in Fueling the “Both Sides” Myth
https://www.cjr.org/special_report/media-and-the-both-sides-myth
